Finding You Again
by Merenwen Calmcacil
Summary: The day Rex Racer died, Ana Larson swore she would never race again. She would never love again. Then she meets the mysterious Racer X. He and Speed need her help to take down an evil prince, and suddenly Ana finds both of her promises slipping...
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: No, I do not own Speed Racer. This story is based off of one I wrote quite a few years ago now called "She Don't Know She's Beautiful." But it's very different and set in the movie universe. I don't recommend reading the original. I should like to think that I'm a much better writer now than I was then. It's mostly Racer X(Rex)/OC. But there's going to be a lot of Speed/ Trixie thrown in too. Oh, and you'll learn the whole back story with Rex and Ana through flashbacks as the story goes on.

"_Rex, she's totally kicking your ass!" eight-year-old Speed Racer yelled into the radio._

"_Don't say ass, Speed," Rex replied as he tapped the brake slightly while entering the curve. "You hear that Ana? Apparently you're kicking my butt." _

"_You say that like it's a surprise," Ana laughed, shifting gears as she exited the turn Rex had just entered._

"_Pride comes before a fall," he said as his car pulled up next to hers. "And it's a long way down." _

"_You'll have to catch me first, racer boy," she said, pressing harder against the gas pedal. _

"_Who do you think is gonna win, Pops?" Speed said, turning to look up at his father. _

"_They're not actually racing, son," Pops chuckled. _

"_I think you should tell them that," Speed muttered. _

_Ana laughed as she smoothly turned the wheel so that her car was now back in front of Rex's. Speed was right. It wasn't actually a race, not that she or Rex were acting like it. It was more like a sparring match. They had a big race coming up and they were the two favorites to win. She could so take him though. He was far too much of a gentleman when it came to racing her. If she pushed him hard enough, he always backed out. _

"_Okay, kids," Pops said. "This is your last lap, and then bring them in." _

"_Awe, Pops…" Ana whined. "But I'm winning." _

"_You heard me young lady," Pops said, trying his best to sound stern. She could hear the smile in his voice though. _

_Rex didn't try to challenge her for the lead again as they quickly made the last circuit of the track. Every nerve in her body felt alive as she pulled into the pit area. She loved driving, whether it was actually in a race, test driving her car or driving on the street. She loved it all. She pulled her helmet off her head and pulled her long straight brown hair out of the bun she'd tucked it into at the nape of her neck. She was just about to climb out of her white car with the lavender detailing when a shadow fell over her and she looked up to see a smiling face. _

"_Awe, Pops!" she heard Speed whine. "They're gonna start the mushy stuff again, aren't they?" _

…

Ana woke up with her chest heaving. She looked around the first class section of the airplane. No one seemed to notice her. That was the nice thing about first class. No one really paid any attention to you. The business man in the next to her was still typing away on his laptop. The rap star across the aisle was still banging his head to whatever loud song happened to be playing through his head phones. A stewardess stopped to ask her if she wanted something to drink, but Ana just shook her head and straightened the hem of her pale green knee length skirt.

She sighed heavily and pressed a pale hand against her chest, trying to calm her racing heart. The dreams were getting worse again. They'd all but stopped until a couple of months ago. She'd been flipping through channels when she'd accidentally landed on some grand prix or another. Her heart had all but stopped beating when she saw that familiar white car with the red M on the hood. She'd avoided everything to do with racing for eight years. She'd locked her car away in her old garage and hadn't touched it since. She'd flipped the channel every time a race had come on the television. She'd switched careers. She'd done everything she could so that she didn't have to remember the past. Yet those stupid dreams just kept haunting her.

They weren't bad, necessarily. They were nice moments, or at least they'd been nice at the time. They were test laps around the practice track. They were moments sprawled out across his bed playing video games. They were stolen kisses before a race when Pops was trying to keep them apart so that they both would focus. Instead Rex was focusing on her lips and she on the way his hands seem to burn through her fireproof suit. They weren't bad dreams. They were just dreams of moments that she'd spent eight years trying to forget. She tried therapy, hypnosis and about a dozen other things, but the dreams just weren't going away. That's when she'd decided that she had to go back. She had to face the past. It was the only way she was ever going to get a peaceful night's sleep again.

"Please fasten your seatbelts," a voice called out. "We will be landing shortly."

There was no turning back. She was going to go see the Racer family for the first time in eight years. She was going to go sleep in Rex's old room. She was going to sit and talk about him around the dinner table. She was going to tell happy stories about him and convince his family that she was moving on and that she was fine. Maybe if everyone believed she was fine she actually would be.

Fifteen minutes later the plane had landed and Ana was stepping off into the terminal. She was immediately greeted by a host of camera flashes. She might not still be racing, but that didn't mean that she'd stepped out of the spotlight.

"Ana, have you finished filming your next movie?"

"Miss Larson, what are you doing back in your home town?"

"Come on, Ana. Smile for the camera."

She shifted her bag higher up on her shoulder and pulled down her over-sized sunglasses to hide her lavender eyes. The pictures weren't going to be very good, but she'd probably be the cover of every major tabloid the next day. She'd known that her fame level would rise when she'd switched over from racing to acting. The movie offer had come about three months after Rex had… disappeared… She wouldn't say that he was dead. He didn't feel dead. She would know. She'd had an agent when she was a racer and he'd called her up saying that someone wanted her to be in a movie. It turned out that she liked acting. It gave her a chance to forget everything for a little while.

The boy waiting for her didn't give her a chance to forget a single thing. Looking at him she could still see the little eight-year-old boy he'd been the last time she'd seen him. He was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest and a look on his face that made him look so much like his brother her breath caught in her throat. There wasn't a lot of physical resemblance between Speed and Rex Racer. The mannerisms though. The way Speed's head was tilted slightly to the side like he was taking in the whole room all at once. It made her heart squeeze and her chest burn all at the same time.

"Ana!" Speed called when he finally caught sight of her.

"Look at you," she said, pulling back after hugging him tightly. "What happened to that eight-year-old kid that I left behind?"

"He grew up, Annie," Speed said. "Do you have any bags here or did you have it all shipped?"

"It should all already be at your house," she said, linking her arm through his as they made their way towards the exit. "I had everything sent ahead."

"Well now aren't we the diva," he teased.

"Oh, hush, you," she laughed. "You might be all grown up now but that doesn't mean I can't still kick your butt."

"I don't doubt it," he said. "I… I brought my mom's car… We weren't sure if…"

"Thank you," she said softly. "I don't think I would have been."

"But there is this party tonight…" he said, rubbing the back of his neck. "It's to celebrate the start of the season. I know you probably don't want to go, but there's someone I'd like you to meet."

"What?" she said. "Are you and little Trixie not still…"

"No!" Speed said. "I mean, yes, Trixie and I are still together. She's out of town though, so I need someone to be my 'plus one.' It's a friend of mine that I want you to meet. I think you would like him. He's helped me out a lot since I started racing."

"You're not trying to play matchmaker or something…"

"No," he said after jogging around the car to the driver's side and climbing in. "I just want you to meet him."

"Okay," she said after a pause. "I guess I could. I mean, it's been ten years. What's the chance anyone remembers me anyway?"

"You're still famous, Ana Banana," Speed said.

"I told you never to call me that," she said, slapping him lightly on the arm. "So what time's the party?"

"We're supposed to be there around eight, I think," he said as they made their way out into the bright afternoon sunshine. "It's formal. Do you have a…"

"Dress?" she laughed. "My stylist packed my bags. She can never help but throw in the formal gown or two. She loves to play dress up with me."

"Great," he said. "I think you'll really like Racer X."

"Racer X?" she said, frowning. "What kind of name is that?"

"He's kind of a private person," Speed said. "I don't really know much about him, but he's one of the best friends I've got."

"That's nice," she said, playing with a lock of her hair.

The photographers were still following them. The annoying flashes were going off incessantly and Ana was glad for her dark sunglasses. Speed pressed his hand to her lower back as he led her towards the waiting SUV. She had a feeling the tabloids would read that Speed was cheating on Trixie with her, but that couldn't quite be helped. Hopefully none of them would dig up her relationship with Rex. That was the last thing she needed. She didn't need any more reminders of the demons that haunted her. The demons that hadn't let her get a good night sleep in months. She could do this though. She had to if she ever planned on moving on with her life.

…

The house looked the same. It could have been eight years before. Ana took a deep breath to steady herself as she climbed out of the car. She wasn't ready. She couldn't do this. It hadn't been long enough. She needed more time. She didn't have time though. Not when Mom Racer was already rushing out of the house to embrace her. She could see the tears in the older woman's eyes even from a distance and Ana felt her own eyes fill as well.

"Look at you," Mom Racer said, embracing the younger woman. "My little Ana's all grown up. It's been far too long, young lady."

"Hi, Mom," Ana said. "I'm sorry… I just… I couldn't come back. Not with everything that happened."

"I know, sweetheart," Mom said, caressing her dark brown hair. "I know. What matters is that you're here now. And we are so happy to see you. I had all of your bags put up in Rex's old room. Is that okay? We can always move you into Speed's if you would rather…"

"No," Ana said, letting herself be led into the house. "It's okay. It's part of the reason why I came."

"He loved you, Ana," Mom said softly. "So much. He would want you to be happy."

"I know," Ana said as Speed closed the door behind them. "And I will be."

The house looked the same inside too. There were new pictures on the walls. More of Speed and a little boy who she assumed must be Sprital. None of Rex, and consequently her, since they were always together. Always had been since they were kids. But she wasn't going to think about that. This trip was about saying goodbye and moving on with her life. Mom sat her down on the couch while she went into the kitchen to make them some tea. Ana chatted with Speed on the couch for a few minutes about her latest movie when she heard feet storming down the hallway. A face peaked around the corner and then a blurred body darted into the kitchen.

"Mom," she heard a young voice say. "Are you aware that Ana Larson is in the living room?"

"Sprital," Speed called, laughing. "Come in here. There's someone I want you to meet."

"I already know who she is," Sprital said as he walked into the room. "That's Ana Larson. Can I bring you to school with me for show and tell?"

"Is she here yet?" Pops called as he came in from the garage.

"In here, Pops," Ana said.

"Well if it isn't little Miss Ana Banana," Pops said. "Come here and give me a hug."

Ana got up off the couch and went over to hug the older man. He hadn't changed a bit since she'd left. He might have aged a little bit, but you could barely tell. His hair was a little bit grey at the temples, but that was probably as much from Speed as it was from his age. She couldn't imagine that Speed racing was easy on him. Not after everything that had happened with…

"Ana, sweetheart," Mom said. "Why don't you go upstairs and lay down for a little bit before the party tonight? I'm sure you're exhausted after your flight. We can talk and get caught up tomorrow."

"That would be good," Ana said. "I'll take myself up if that's okay."

She knew the family was waiting down in the living room holding their breath as she made her way up the stairs. The last time she'd been in Rex's room, she'd locked herself in there for three weeks and refused to come out. She hadn't even gone to the funeral. She'd just laid there on his bed clutching his pillow and inhaling his familiar scent. Then one day she'd gotten up left the Racer house with intentions never to return. Not until the dreams had come back with a vengeance at any rate.

Rex's room still looked exactly as it had the last time she'd been in it. The only difference was that the full size bed was made. His dark blue comforter was still pulled up and neatly folded back when it reached his crisp white pillow cases. The black and chrome dresser was still covered with his trophies and a few framed pictures. The picture of the two of them from her senior prom was still sitting on his night stand. It was hard to believe that had taken place just a few months before he'd left. She gingerly picked up the polished silver frame and traced her fingers over their faces. He'd looked so handsome in his tuxedo. They'd been so happy that night. It was hard to believe everything that had happened after.

Her luggage was piled up in the corner. She went over and opened up the large trunk that dominated the space in front of the closet. Sure enough right on top was a strapless amethyst colored gown that would be perfect for the party that night. The heavy jeweled detailing below the bust was gorgeous too. She opened the closet and was a little relieved to see that it was empty. She'd known that Rex had taken most of his clothes with him when he left, but part of her had still been afraid to have to face things she'd seen him wear every day.

She pulled a hanger out and hung the dress up to let a few wrinkles fall out and then sank down onto the edge of the bed. She kicked off the sandals she'd been wearing and then curled up on the bed. She wrapped her arms around the pillow and sighed when she could still detect a faint trace of Rex's smell. Being in there was a little unsettling, but it was also like sinking into a hot bath after a long day. It was like she was being wrapped in his presence and she quickly dropped off to sleep, not quite so afraid of what she was going to dream about.

…

_Ana slipped out of the house and onto the dark driveway. Her parents were fighting again. She heard the familiar crash of a plate shattering against the wall as her mother screamed something. This was starting to happen more and more frequently. She shivered in the November air and wished that she'd thought to grab a jacket. Instead she was standing in the driveway in her flannel pajama bottoms and a long sleeve t-shirt she'd _borrowed_ from Rex at some point or another. The yelling was getting louder and she watched as a neighbor turned a light on for a second. This also wasn't the first time her parents had woken the neighbors with one of their arguments. _

_After what felt like an eternity she watched as a familiar white car came down the street and pulled into the driveway. She moved over to the side as Rex killed the engine and then got out. He immediately pulled her into his arms, her head tucking perfectly under his chin. He'd actually stopped to put some real clothes on. Or maybe he hadn't undressed. Come to think of it, she was pretty sure that was the sweatshirt he'd worn to school that day. Her parents' fights were becoming far too frequent if Rex was starting to wait up for her desperate phone calls. At least it was a Friday night and they didn't have to worry about school the next day. _

"_Come on," he said, guiding her around to the passenger side door. "Let's get you home, pretty girl." It was funny how the Racers' house was becoming more and more of a home to her than her own. She definitely spent the vast majority of her waking hours there and now she was spending her sleeping ones there as well. Not that Pops or Mom knew. They would probably freak out if they did. They knew her parents fought, but they didn't know how bad it got and they certainly didn't know that their teenage son was sneaking out of the house to pick her up at two in the morning. _

_The driver back to the Rex's house was silent. He knew that Ana didn't really want to talk. Instead he just held his hand and rubbed soothing circles on the back of it with his thumb. She stared out into the black night and tried her hardest not to yawn. Her eyelids were awfully heavy though. She hadn't gotten a lot of sleep that week. Even though Rex came and got her so that she could sleep in peace in his bed, he didn't come until late and they had to be up far too early to sneak her out of the house and then back in a few minutes later to make it look like Rex had gone and gotten her for breakfast. She was only 15 and didn't have her driver's license yet. _

_About ten minutes later they pulled into Rex's driveway and carefully climbed the tree outside Rex's room and slipped in through the window he'd left open. She kicked off her leopard print slippers and immediately climbed in bed. Rex hovered indecisively at the window for a moment before going over to his dresser and pulling out a pair of pajama pants. He slipped down the hall to the bathroom to change and was back in the room in about two minutes. Ana was fighting sleep, but had kept herself awake, knowing what was about to happen. Rex went to his closet and started to pull out a spare blanket when her voice stopped him. _

"_Hold me tonight?" she said. _

"_Always," he said, climbing into the bed behind her. _

_Ana immediately snuggled up against him, her head resting on his chest as his arms wrapped around her in a protective embrace. She loved these moments. Rex was far too much of a gentleman to ever just get into bed next to her without an invitation. He'd refused at first, but eventually gave in. On the rare nights her parents weren't fighting, Ana almost wished they would. It was getting hard to sleep when Rex wasn't holding her. _

"_Love you," she murmured sleepily as she felt him press a kiss to her forehead. _

"_Love you too," he replied. _

…

Racer X idly twirled the champagne around in the crystal flute he was holding. The trick to not getting drunk at a function like the one he currently found himself at was always have a half full glass in your hand. It was a pain to keep track of, but it kept waiters from constantly pestering him all night. He raised the flute to his lips every now and then, but didn't actually take a sip. It was more about looking like you were drinking than actually consuming any alcohol. People were more likely to say things they shouldn't if they thought you were as drunk as they were.

The ballroom was nearly full of people at that point. Everyone was dressed to the nines in tuxedos and evening gowns, except for the few racers like him who had come in their usual race day apparel. It was decorated with your usual elaborate chandeliers that were pretty, but far from original. The only really spectacular thing about the room was the glass wall behind the buffet table that looked out over the race track where qualifying for the first race of the season would take place the next day.

He'd gotten there early. He'd had to. Because he was relatively sure that _she_ was going to be there. He had to see the moment she arrived. He had to watch the hush that fell over any room that she walked into. It had always been like that. Ever since she was about thirteen. He could still remember the first time he'd realized how beautiful she was like it was yesterday. She was fourteen and he was fifteen. They were walking back to his house after school and he turned to look at her as she laughed. The way her lavender eyes were sparkling just did something to him. He'd never thought about kissing her before, but at that moment he really wanted to try it.

"Did you hear what I just said?" Minx asked him.

Ah, Minx. There was someone to keep him grounded in the present. She was his sort of girlfriend he supposed. She was definitely the closet thing he had to a personal relationship. Being a secret agent certainly kept him from forming close emotional ties. Minx got it though. She was all about the job too. He was fond of her, but she never made his blood boil, not like _she_ had.

"I told you that you shouldn't have come tonight, X," she said, rolling her eyes. "She's obviously far too much of a distraction."

"We don't even know that she's going to be here," he said.

Then it happened. The hush fell over the room. He turned towards the door and watched as she walked in with her arm tucked through Speed's. God, she looked beautiful. The purple of her dress made her eyes shine. It was like she was moving in slow motion, and suddenly, he wasn't the confident secret agent he'd become. He was the scrawny fifteen year old with sweaty palms trying to ask the first girl he'd ever really liked out on a date.

He watched her make her way around the room with Speed. He introduced her to some new faces and reacquainted her with some old ones. He knew by the way she was standing that she wasn't entirely comfortable with the situation. He was actually surprised that she was there at all. He knew that she carefully avoided anything that resembled racing. She'd turned down parts in multiple movies, one of which had gone on to win multiple awards, because they called upon her racing skills. She rarely even drove a car.

"She's coming this way," Minx whispered into his ear. "You have about thirty seconds to duck away."

"I'm fine," he gritted out.

"You're not thinking objectively," she said.

"It's been eight years, Minx," he said. "I'm fine."

"I'm not watching you trip all over yourself for another woman," she said and then walked away quickly. He turned to say something to her, but she was already gone and someone else was already calling his name.

"Racer X!" Speed called out as he approached.

"Hello, Speed," he said. "How are you?"

"Good," Speed said, nodding enthusiastically. "Ready for the season to start."

"And who is your lovely companion?" Racer X asked.

"Oh," Speed said, pressing a hand to the small of Ana's back and pushing her forward. "This is Ana Larson. She's an old family friend who's in town for a while."

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Ana said with a faint smile.

"The pleasure is all mine," Racer X replied. "I have a friend who is quite a fan. I've seen all of your movies."

She reached out her hand and he reluctantly took it in his own. Even through the thick glove he could feel the tingles that shot up his arm. It was always that way whenever they touched. Then he felt her jerk away like she'd been burned. Her eyes searched the mirrored lenses that covered his own as she stood there staring up at him and frowning slightly.

"Do I know you?" she asked, holding the hand he'd touched close to her body and rubbing it slightly.

"I'm sorry," he said. "We've never met."

"You just seem really familiar for some reason," she said, her eyes searching his face as if she could see behind his mask.

It was probably all in his imagination. It was probably because more than anything the part of him that was still Rex Racer wanted her to recognize him. With the extensive plastic surgery there was little to no chance she could ever truly know who he was. But part of him had also always firmly believed that she was his soul mate. That it was totally possible for her to look at him, to touch him, and just know. Obviously the moment was entirely one sided because she smiled at him politely and then asked Speed if he would excuse her for just a second.

"So how do you know Ana Larson?" he asked Speed.

"She and Rex were…" Speed said. "Engaged I guess. Sort of. She broke it off not long before the accident, but she was like a member of the family when I was a kid."

"She broke it off?" he said."

"Yeah, she didn't want him to go corporate," Speed said, rubbing the back of his neck.

"He should have listened," Racer X said quietly.

"I should probably go find Ana," Speed said. "She didn't exactly want to be here tonight. Did you know that she used to race?"

"I saw her a couple of times," Racer X said. "She could have been one of the greats. It's a shame that she quit."

"Yeah," Speed said. "Racing was never the same for her after Rex. I should really go find her though."

Speed excused himself and Racer X watched as he made his way towards the lobby. A few minutes later he came back in with a somewhat reluctant Ana on his arm. They circulated the room and X watched as Ana squared her shoulders and started to chat with the people around her. He knew she was putting on an act. She was pretending to be happy and engaging. He'd watched her do it a million times at press conferences. She really was a great actress. He was probably the only one who had ever noticed and that was only because he knew her better than she knew herself most of the time.

Her back was to him for most the night. He wondered if it really was on purpose and if she'd been as affected by seeing him and touching him as he'd hoped, or if it was just how she happened to be standing. Racer X tried not to make it obvious that he was watching her. Every now and then though, she would turn around and search the room with those gorgeous lavender eyes. They would come to rest on him for a moment and then she would immediately turn back to whoever she was talking to.

Several hours later people were finally starting to leave. He'd never had another chance to talk to her, but that was probably for the best. He didn't need to seek her out. That couldn't lead to anything good. When he was around her he didn't feel like Racer X. He had to be Racer X. Rex Racer didn't exist anymore. Ana made it hard to remember that. Especially when she was looking like she did in that dress. He watched as she made her way out of the ballroom with her arm tucked through Speed's.

His eyes followed her until she'd disappeared around the corner and then he breathed a heavy sigh of relief. He'd done it. He'd made it through their first encounter in eight years. She wouldn't be coming to the track though. There was no way she would attend a race. And she probably wasn't staying with his former family for very long. He wouldn't have to see her again anytime soon. Not for another eight years, or more if he had his way.

…

_Ana quickly made her way to Victory Lane. She'd crashed early in the race, much to her disappointment, but Rex had gone on to win and it was time to celebrate. She'd managed to shower and change into her jeans and a Go Team t-shirt after her wreck, so at least she didn't look like a sweat soaked mess for all of the cameras. She made her way through the crowd of photographers and camera men just as Rex was climbing out of the Mach 4. He raised his arms in victory and she couldn't help but smile when she saw his joy. _

"_Ana!" he called out, holding out a hand to her. _

_She immediately went to his side and he pulled her in close, kissing her quickly on the forehead before his parents and younger brother swarmed them as well. The excitement in the air was contagious and Ana could almost forget her crash and the mangled heap that was her car for a moment. Mom and Pops hugged her as well while Speed and his little friend Trixie chattered on to Rex a mile a minute about what an awesome job he'd done. _

_Suddenly he felt a tug at her hand and turned to look at her boyfriend, just to find him down on one knee. Her eyes widened in shock when she saw the open black velvet box in his hand. She could feel the tears well up behind her eyes as she raised her right hand to her mouth while Rex kept a firm hold on her left hand. A hush came over the crowd when they saw what was happening and suddenly the only noises Ana could hear were the clicking of cameras and the pounding of her own heart. _

"_Ana Marie Larson," Rex began, grinning up at her. "I love you. I've loved you since I was fifteen years old and I will love you until the day that I die. Marry me, baby? Be my wife?" _

"_Yes!" she exclaimed as the tears started to fall down her cheeks._

_Rex slipped the white gold engagement ring with the sparkling diamond onto her finger and then lifted Ana up in his arms and spun her around. Ana wrapped her arms around his neck as she started to cry harder and clung to him as he carefully set her back down on her feet. He took her tear-stained face in between his hands and tilted it up to meet his own. The love shining out from his deep brown eyes nearly made her weak in the knees as he slowly lowered his mouth down towards hers. _

"_Are they going to be doing even more of that now?" Speed asked Pops." _

"_I'm afraid so, son," Pops said, laughing._

"_Hush, Speed," Trixie said. "It's romantic." _

"_It's gross," Speed said, crossing his arms over his chest._

"_I love you," Ana whispered against Rex's lips. "I can't wait to be your wife." _

"_I'll love you forever," he promised, kissing her once again. _

…

Ana sat up on the bed with her chest heaving. Tears were coursing down her cheeks and she quickly reached up to brush them away. She'd been so afraid to fall asleep and see what she was going to dream about. She'd known it was going to be one of her more painful memories. It was strange, but the memories of the fights they'd had towards the end of their relationship weren't the ones that were the most painful. It was hardest to remember the happy times. The first time he'd told her that he loved her. The day he'd asked her to marry him. Those were the hardest memories.

She swung her legs over the edge of the bed and sought out her slippers and then got her silky white bath robe from the chair by the bed. She quickly went down to the bathroom to splash some cold water on her face and then went down to the kitchen. She needed a full glass of water to take the sleeping pills in the bottom of her bag that guaranteed her a nice, dreamless sleep. She hated how groggy they made her feel, but she needed the dreamlessness.

"What are you doing up?" she asked Speed when she walked into the kitchen.

"Trixie just called from Barbados," he shrugged. "She forgot about the time difference."

"Oh," Ana said, tucking a stray lock of brown hair behind her ear. "Are the glasses still in the…"

"Third cabinet from the right," Speed said. "Yeah. So what did you think of Racer X?"

Ana closed her eyes as she reached up for a glass and sighed heavily. She'd been trying all night to forget the tingles that had run up her arm when they touched. Even through the thick black glove he was wearing. There was only one man she'd ever reacted to like that and he'd been dead for eight years. Still, it felt like betraying Rex's memory to feel that from someone else.

"Who is he?" she asked after a pause, turning from the cabinet to look at Speed.

"Racer X," Speed said with a shrug.

"That can't possibly be his name," Ana said, going over to the fridge to put ice in her glass.

"It's the one he goes by."

"Speed," Ana said, turning to face him and leaning back against the counter. "You don't think he might be…"

"He's not, Ana," Speed said. "I thought he might be too, but I've seen his face. He's not Rex."

"There was just this moment when I shook his hand…"

"Rex would want you to be happy, Ana Banana," Speed said. "It's okay for you to feel something for someone new."

"I know that, Speed," Ana said, dropping a few ice cubes into her glass. "But this wasn't a new feeling. This was an old feeling. I know your brother."

"Ana, stop," he said, shoving his chair back away from the table. "Rex is dead. He's gone. He's not coming back. And if all you're going to is drag up the past, maybe it's better if you left now."

"Speedy…"

"I'm serious, Ana," he said, stopping at the doorway to the kitchen to look her in the eye. "Don't mention this to Mom or Pops. They don't need to go through losing Rex all over again."

"I won't," she said, nodding.

Speed nodded his head and then turned to leave the kitchen. Ana watched him go before she made her way to the sink to fill up her glass. As she watched her glass fill, her mind was reeling at a million miles a minute. She knew Rex Racer's touch. She knew the way it felt to have every little nerve ending in her hand come alive all at once. But Speed said that he'd seen his face… Maybe she'd just wanted him to be Rex. To be honest he didn't even sound like Rex. Maybe it was just her brain playing tricks on her.

She shook her head to try to clear out the unwanted thoughts and then made her way back up to Rex's old room. She dug the bottle of pills out of the bottom of her purse and popped one into her mouth. She quickly chased the pill down with her glass of water and then took off her slippers and robe before climbing into bed. She laid there for a few seconds before closing her eyes and waiting for the pill to take effect. At the moment she cared more for a night without dreams more than the groggy feeling she would get in the morning. All she wanted was a night that wasn't haunted by Rex Racer.


	2. Chapter 2

Ana swept her long brown hair up into a bun and secured it with the hair elastic she kept on her wrist around it. It was a swelteringly hot day. She wasn't sure why she'd even agreed to come to the track in the first place. It made her nervous. It made her jealous, and the jealousy made her more nervous. She hadn't anticipated missing racing, but as she wandered through the garage area that was exactly what she was doing. She missed sitting behind the wheel of her car. She missed accelerating from 0 to 200 miles per hour in mere seconds. She missed the smell of grease, motor oil and sweat. She missed it all and she really wasn't supposed to.

The garage area was alive with people. Mechanics were running around with tires and wrenches, shouting things to one another as they scurried from their trailers to their garage areas. She got a few curious looks. She'd been stopped a few times and asked for pictures or autographs, but most people were far too focused on what they were doing to care about the former racer turned movie star that was wandering around. She'd originally said she wasn't going to leave the Mach 5's pit area, but the sight of the car was almost too painful. She just couldn't look at it. She knew that it was pretty much a completely different car, but it still looked the same.

She stopped when she saw an unfamiliar yellow and black car with a 9 on the hood. The garage area was surprisingly empty, so she took a few steps in to get a closer look. The body design was very similar to her old car. The big difference was the color scheme. The Legacy was a beautiful car. It was kind of nice to see that someone had copied the body design she'd slaved over for weeks when she was fifteen. It was sleek and aerodynamic. Not to mention it was fairly pretty to look at. This version of the Legacy was far more masculine, but she could see where the inspiration had come from.

"What do you think?" a voice called out behind her, causing Ana to jump.

"It's beautiful," she said. "Reminds me of my old car."

"The Legacy was some of the inspiration behind it," Racer X said, coming to stand next to her.

"You remember my car?" she said, turning to look up at him.

"I saw you race," he said. "Quite a few times actually."

"Were you there?" she said. "I don't remember anyone in a mask."

"I wasn't wearing a mask back then," he said. "It was another lifetime."

"I know what you mean," she said, looking down at the pavement. "Speed must have told you that I was engaged to his brother."

"He mentioned that you had broken it off," he said.

"I was so mad at Rex when he told me he was going corporate," Ana said, crossing her arms over her chest. I blew up at him and called off the engagement before I even really knew what I was doing. I would take it back now, though. He died thinking that I didn't love him anymore."

"He knew," Racer X said, thankful his eyes were hidden behind the mirrored lenses of his goggles. "He knew that you loved him."

"You don't know what I said to him," she said. "I was… I would give anything to be able to go back and make it right. God, why am I telling you all of this? You could probably care less."

"It's okay," he said. "It sounds like something you've been carrying around for a while."

"Eight years," she said. "There's not a day that goes by where I don't miss him."

Racer X just hoped that she couldn't hear how hard his heart was pounding. Hearing her talk about how she still loved him, even though she didn't know who she was saying it to. It was probably his favorite dream, the one where she'd see behind the plastic surgery and tell him that she loved him not matter what. It was a recurring fantasy he had night after night, when he wasn't having nightmares about having to leave her behind at any rate.

"So why did you stop racing?" Racer X said after a pause.

"Rex died," Ana said, giving him a funny look.

"That didn't mean that you had to stop," he said.

"You try watching the love of your life crash and probably burn to death and then tell me that you don't have to stop," she said.

"I'm sorry…"

"Don't be," she said, brushing a lock of hair that had fallen forward out of her bun back behind her ear. "Like I said, it was another lifetime. Now I'm an actress. It's a good life."

"I've seen all of your movies," he said.

"Really?" she said, looking up at him. "You don't seem like the type to enjoy a nice cheesy chick flick."

"Maybe it's just the actress…"

"I don't date," she said. "At all. Ever."

"I wasn't asking..."

"You were flirting," she said. "And flirting generally leads to asking. Then the asking leads to me saying no. I was just skipping a couple steps."

"Rex would want you to be happy," he said after a pause.

"You throw around the name of my dead fiancée a lot for someone who never actually met him," she replied, turning on her heel and stalking out of the garage.

Racer X watched her storm off for a moment and then punched the wall and cursed. That was not how he'd imagined that conversation going. At least, that wasn't the ending he'd had planned. It was kind of nice to see that she was still as stubborn as ever. And still completely devoted to his memory. It would make it hard to get close to her again, though. He knew it was his own fault. That he should have told her what was going on when he'd left. He should have told her just why he needed to leave. But he didn't, and if she never let this new version of himself into her heart it was his own fault.

…

Ana wasn't sure why she was so angry. She knew that Racer X was just trying to help or be friendly or something. People just didn't understand. They didn't know what it was like to watch your whole world come crashing down around your shoulders. Everyone thought that it was supposed to be so easy to just pick up the pieces and move on with your life after something like that. The truth was there was no moving on. Or maybe she was just bad at it. It didn't matter to her either way.

She stared down at her sandaled feet as she wandered through the crowds. There was just something so unsettling about the masked man. Maybe it was because she couldn't really see his face so it was hard to use his body language to gauge what he really meant when he said things. Ana was so caught up in her thoughts that she didn't even realize she was about to walk into someone until she was pressed against the lapels of a brilliantly white suit jacket.

"I am so sorry," she said, backing away from the person. "I completely wasn't paying attention to where I was going."

"It is quite alright," a thickly accented voice said. "Why, what have we here? I should know those lovely lavender eyes anywhere. Miss Ana Larson, am I correct?"

Ana looked up into the darkest pair of eyes that she'd ever seen. The irises were such a deep shade of brown they almost looked black, like her coffee before she added the creamer. They were set in a narrow, rather angular face with a larger nose and full lips. She supposed that most people would call him handsome, but there was something about his mouth that she just didn't like.

"That would be me," she said, blushing faintly.

"Your movies are quite wonderful," the man said. "I've seen them all multiple times, and used to watch you race as well. It was such a shame when you retired."

"Thank you," Ana said. "Now, you know my name but I don't know yours."

"Ah," he said. "Please pardon my rudeness. I am Prince Daveen of Aljeristan. My country is hosting the Desert Sands 1000 race in a month."

"Oh," she said, her eyes widening. "Your.. highness…"

"Please," he said, raising his hand. "None of that. We are all friends here. Why don't you join me in my private box to enjoy today's festivities?"

Ana fiddled with the plain silver band that she wore on her right hand for a moment before answering. He certainly was polite. There was just something about him that made her feel uneasy. She didn't know what it was, but the wide smile on his face made her uncomfortable. Still, he was hosting a race in a month and her ties to the Racer family were well known. She didn't want any trouble to come to Speed because some guy gave her the creeps.

"That would be lovely," she said with a smile. "Lead the way."

Prince Daveen offered her his arm and Ana let her hand come to rest at the crook of his elbow. Suddenly it felt like a million eyes were on her. She was fairly used to people watching her. She was used to people covertly snapping pictures of her. She was even used to all-out gawking when she walked past. But, the whispers of the people around her were a little unnerving. She had a feeling Prince Daveen would have introduced himself no matter what, but she really wished she hadn't run into him. She had a feeling he was as scaly as the snakeskin boots he was wearing.

"So, Miss Larson," he said. "When can we be expecting another movie from you?"

"I'm not sure," she said, reaching up to fiddle with the silver locket around her neck. She'd put it on that morning on a whim. Rex had given it to her for her 16th birthday. She didn't wear it often, but something about being in him room made her want to. "I'm kind of in between projects at the moment. I have a few scripts to look at, but I'm not really thinking about it right now."

"Maybe you are thinking about returning to racing instead?" he said as a door was whisked open for them and Ana was hit with a cool blast of air conditioning.

"No," she said. "No, I'm not going back to racing."

"But you were so talented," he said, leading her over to a row of large leather chairs in front of a glass wall that looked down on the track.

"That part of my life is over," she said, taking a seat.

"Still," he said, snapping his fingers and a man immediately came over to give him an envelope. "It's a shame to let such a gift go to waste. When my country hosts the Desert Sands I would be honored if you would consider racing. This is an official royal invitation for the race. It will allow you to participate without having to qualify."

"Thank you," she said. "That's very kind of you. But like I said…"

"I know what you said, Miss Larson," he said with a cool smile, handing her the envelope. "But I also know that you are very close to the Racer family. I should hate for something to happen to Speed because there was no one on the track to protect him."

"Are you threatening me?" she said.

"Of course not," he said. "It was just a suggestion. Look, there's Speed on the track now. He certainly is talented. So much like his brother."

Ana looked down at the track and watched as Speed completed his warm-up lap. His driving style certainly was a lot like Rex's. Then again, Rex was the one who taught Speed to drive at the ripe old age of eight. It wasn't the surprising. She could feel the eyes of the man sitting next to her on her instead of what was happening on the track. Her eyes followed the Mach 5's progress around the track, but her mind was racing. She contemplated the weight of the envelope in her hands and everything it meant. She knew that rejecting the invitation would mean insulting the prince, and Prince Daveen did not seem like the kind of man who would take an insult well. And he could take it out on Speed. She couldn't bear it if the family she loved so much lost another son when she could prevent it.

"So will we have the pleasure of your attendance at the Desert Sands?" he asked after a long moment of silence.

"I'll think about it," she said and then took a deep breath.

"I look forward to it," he said, smiling. "And while you're there, maybe we will have the chance to get to know each other a little better."

…

"Speed, have you seen Ana?" Racer X asked, walking into the Mach 5's garage area.

The garage was mostly empty. The Mach 5 and the spare tires were all gone. Speed was standing with his back to the opening as he put tools away in the tool chests against the wall. Pops hated leaving anything behind in the garage. Everything but the tool chests always went back into the trailer before they left. It was a pain, but after everything Speed seen and experienced in the last year, he knew Pop's paranoia wasn't entirely unfounded.

"She took off a while ago," Speed said, turning around and wiping the sweat off his forehead. "She's probably around here somewhere. Why?"

"We just…" Racer X began, wishing he wasn't wearing the mask so he could run his fingers through his hair. "I just… I don't think I'm making a very good impression."

"Ana's a little hard to get to know," Speed said. "She's pretty guarded."

"I noticed," Racer X said. "She really hasn't dated anyone since your brother?"

"Not that I know of," Speed said.

"Why?"

"I don't think Rex is really gone for Ana," Speed said, grabbing a towel to wipe the grease off his hands. "She told Mom that she still has a lot of nightmares about it. I'm pretty sure she had one last night. She came downstairs at two in the morning looking like she'd just seen a ghost or something."

"All these years later?" Racer X said.

"Listen, Racer X," Speed said, running his fingers through his hair. "If you're going to chase after Ana, you're wasting your time. She's just…"

"Is it almost time to go, Speed?" Ana said, walking into the garage.

Racer X felt his mouth go dry at the sight of her. She'd looked gorgeous in her evening gown the night before, but her shorts were showing off her long toned legs and he could remember just how soft and smooth her skin was. He could remember all those nights he would pick her up when her parents were fighting and how in the morning they would wake up with tangled limbs and her head resting on his chest. The memory made his arms ache to hold her.

"Pops and Sparky are loading the Mach 5 on the trailer now," Speed said. "Where have you been all day?"

"I, um, was being entertained by a prince," she said, looking down at the cement floor.

"What?" Speed and Racer X said simultaneously.

"Yes," she said, looking up and her eyes darting back and forth between the two of them. "I met Prince Daveen of Aljeristan. He asked me to join him to watch the qualifying."

"And you said yes?" Racer X said.

"Well, I could hardly say no," she said. "He's a prince. And Aljeristan is hosting a race next month."

"How do you know that?" he said.

"I'm not completely out of the racing loop," she said, shooting him a dark look. "And he invited me to participate."

She held out the envelope to Speed. Racer X came over to stand next to him and looked curiously over Speed's shoulder as he lifted the envelope flap. Speed carefully removed the embossed piece of parchment paper and the two looked it over. Ana was right. It was an official royal invitation to participate in the Desert Sands 1000.

"Are you going to accept it?" Speed said.

"I don't want to," Ana said, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Why not?" Speed said.

"I don't race anymore, Speed," she said. "I haven't in a long time. I'm probably not any good at it anymore."

"You don't lose talent like that," Racer X said.

"I don't want to," she said again.

"But you haven't said that you won't," Speed said.

"Speed…" she said and then bit her lip. "Speed he… Prince Daveen insinuated that something would happen to you if I didn't."

"Ana," he said. "I don't want you to do anything you don't want to because of me."

"I'll think about it," she said after a pause. "It's not like I have to make a decision tomorrow or anything."

"Ana, you don't have to do this," Speed said.

"I said I would think about it," she replied.

"I think you should," Racer X said.

"What?" Speed said, giving him a puzzled look.

"The prince obviously wants Ana in the race for some reason," Racer X said. "And Inspector Detector and I have been following his actions closely over the last few years. We think he's involved with a slave trade that has been developing in the Middle East. Ana can gather information from him."

"Absolutely not," Speed said. "No. That's not happening."

"Speed," Ana said.

"No, Ana," he said. "You're not doing it. It's too dangerous."

"Speed, stop," she said. "I will think about it. I know it's dangerous. I just… I'll think about it. I'll give you both an answer at the end of the week."

"You could do a lot of good, Ana," Racer X said. "It could do _you_ a lot of good."

"Stop talking to me like you know me," she said, glaring at him. "I'm going to go see if Pops and Sparky are ready to go."

"I think you were right," Speed said after Ana stormed off. "I don't think she likes you very much."

…

"You were with her again today," Minx said as he walked in the door.

"She was at the track today," Racer X said, stripping off his mask. "And she found me. I didn't seek her out."

The first thing he noticed was that the TV was on and one of the celebrity gossip shows was playing. The volume was off, but pictures of himself and Ana were being displayed on the screen. The cartoon hearts showed what the announcer was saying. Minx was sitting on the dark brown leather couch with her legs stretched out and feet resting on the coffee table. Her back was to him and he could see that she was angry by stiff way she was holding her shoulders and the bottle of wine sitting on the coffee table near her feet. Minx never drank. Only when she was angry. Usually only when she was angry with him.

"You know that you need to stay away from her," she said, taking a sip from the wine glass in her hand.

"I probably don't have a choice," he said, making his way back towards the bedroom to take off his fire suit. "Prince Daveen showed some interest in her today. He wants her in the Desert Sands next month."

"So you're going to be with her all the time," she said.

"Minx…" he said. "We've been trying to take down Daveen and his slave trade for years. This could be the opportunity."

"It could also be your opportunity to get back together with your old girlfriend," she said, taking another sip.

"She doesn't even know who I am," he said. "My face is different. My voice is different. She never has to know."

"She's a smart girl, X," she said. "She'll figure it out. All you'll have to do is touch her and she'll know. I saw the look on her face when you shook her hand last night."

"She's just another part of my past," he said.

"And now she's part of your present too."

He opened the bedroom door and stopped dead in his tracks. A large suitcase sat waiting on the bed. Her suitcase. She was leaving him. He couldn't blame her. He'd found Ana again only the night before and already he felt like his world had been turned upside down. He didn't want her to go. They'd been friends long before they'd ever considered being lovers. But he couldn't blame her.

"I'm gonna go," she said, leaning against the door frame behind him.

"Minx…"

"I always knew there was someone else, X," she said. "I always knew she existed. I knew that you couldn't stay away from her. It was really just a matter of time."

"I didn't mean for this to happen," he said.

"You never mean for anything to happen," Minx said with a faint smile. "But I can't live like this anymore. Truth is, I'm in love with a man who never existed."

"What?" Racer X said.

"You play Racer X very well," she said, moving past him to lift the suitcase down off the bed. "So well I could fool myself sometimes and pretend that's who you really are. But you're not. I always knew that in your heart, you would never be anyone other than Rex Racer. And Rex Racer will never love anyone other than Ana Larson."

"Minx…"

"You know I'm right, Rex," she said.

"I do love you," he said.

"But not like you love her," Minx said. "You'll never love anyone like you love her."

"You don't have to go," he said after a pause, running his fingers through his hair.

"We both know I do," she replied. "If I stick around I'm never going to get over you. I'll still help you and Inspector Detector. If you need me in Aljeristan I'll be there. But I can't be _here_. Not anymore."

"I'm sorry," Racer X said.

"I know," she said, patting his cheek softly. "My cab will be here any minute. I'm going to head down stairs. Take care of yourself, X."

He didn't try to stop her. He knew it was pointless. He knew she was right. He did still love Ana. He was never really going to love anyone but Ana. There was just something about her. Something he couldn't explain. Something he couldn't forget no matter how hard he tried. He listened to the click of her heels and the noise of the wheels on the suitcase as she rolled it down the hallway. He listened to the noise the door made when it shut firmly behind her. She was gone. She was really gone.

Somewhere inside of him, he knew that he should try to stop her. He should go after her and tell her that Ana was just a part of his past. But they would both know that it wasn't true. She would come back inside, maybe stay for a couple of days, but it would be obvious that his mind and heart were somewhere else. Instead he continued to strip off his fire suit and made his way into the bathroom. A long hot shower would help clear his head and make it a little easier to think straight.

He stood under the streaming water until longer after it ran cold. It hadn't provided any of the clarity that he was hoping for.

…

"_Who's that?" Rex asked, watching the petite brunette with the pale lavender eyes walk down the crowded school hallway. _

"_That's Ana Larson," his friend Brian said. "She's new. I heard her parents have a ton of money. Her dad just got transferred here for work." _

"_She's hot," Rex said. _

"_She knows it," Brian replied. "Seriously, man, she's nothing but trouble."_

"_Have you even talked to her?" _

"_Jack did," Brian said. "He tried to get her to go to the movies with him and she shot him down before he could even get the words out of his mouth." _

"_Jack's an ass," Rex said. "And he probably tried to use on of his lame pickup lines." _

_He watched as she went over to her locker and quickly spun in the combination. Mary Beth Carson was leaning against the locker next to hers just chattering away. Rex could plainly see the boredom on her face. Mary Beth had to be one of the shallowest gossips that Rex had ever known. She'd been in his class since kindergarten and he'd never been able to stand her. He liked that the new girl, Ana, didn't seem to like her either. _

"_I'm gonna try to talk to her," he said, watching her grab her books and then slam her locker shut. _

"_It's your funeral," Brian shrugged. "She's walking away. Are you going to try now?" _

"_No," Rex said. "Not now. Today though. Maybe after school. She usually has to wait around for a while for her ride. I'll talk to her then." _

"_Do you like this girl or are you stalking her?" Brian asked. _

"_I'm not _stalking _her," Rex said. "She's just kind of hard not to notice."_

"_With an ass like that, I would say so," Brian said, watching as Ana walked farther away from them. _

"_No," Rex said, shooting his friend a dark look. "Her eyes. They're like, purple or something."_

"_I hadn't noticed," Brian shrugged. _

_Rex kept an eye out for Ana all day, but didn't see her again until that afternoon after school was over. She was sitting on the edge of one of the large brick planters outside of the school with a book open on her lap. He watched her for a couple of minutes. It looked like she was a quick reader. She turned the pages far more often than he would. He took a couple of deep breaths before finally going over to talk to her. _

"_Hi," he said, willing his voice not to crack. "I'm Rex. Rex Racer." _

_She sighed a little to herself, and he was afraid for a moment that she was going to ignore him. Slowly though she folded down the corner of the page she was on and shut her book. She looked up at him and he got a closer look at her eyes. They really were stunning. Probably the most beautiful pair of eyes that he'd ever seen._

"_Ana," she said after a long pause. "Ana Larson." _

"_You're new, right?"_

"_I'm pretty sure you already know that," she said. "I saw you and your friend talking in the hallways earlier." _

"_You noticed me," he said, grinning. _

"_Your friend was kind of loud," she said, slipping her finger into her book._

"_Sorry about that," he said, his face coloring as he looked down at the ground and rubbed the back of his neck._

"_I'm kind of used to it by now," Ana said. "I take it that you don't get a lot of new kids around here." _

"_Not really," Rex said. "Not like you anyway." _

"_What's that supposed to mean?" she said. _

"_Why are you so defensive?" he asked. _

"_Don't you know that it's rude to answer a question with a question?" _

"_You did it too," he said. _

"_Rex!" a young voice called. "Come on! Mom made cookies!" _

"_That's my ride," Rex said, turning to look at the car where his dark haired younger brother was practically hanging out the window and his mother was scolding him from the front seat. "Do you see your ride coming?" _

"_No one will be here for a while," she said, reopening her book. _

"_Would you like a ride?" _

"_What?" _

"_Do you want a ride home?" he repeated. _

"_Would your mom mind?" _

"_What did you just say about answering questions with questions?" he teased. _

"_I don't want to be any trouble," she said, her eyes shifting between the car and him. _

"_I have a feeling you're nothing but trouble, Ana Larson," he said, grinning and holding out his hand to help her down off the planter. "But come on. My mom will love you. She won't mind at all." _

_Ana slipped the book in her bag and then put her hand in his. He helped her down off the planter, but didn't let go of her hand as he lead her towards the car. He could feel her eyes on the side of his face. She was probably wondering what the heck he wanted from her. But if the way his palm was tingling was any indication, all he wanted to do was hold her hand. And maybe get his mom to take her home every day. At least until he got his license at any rate. _

…

"I thought I might find you here," Racer X said and watched as Ana turned around to glare at him. "I know. I know. Stop talking like I know you."

She was sitting on the low white brick wall that bordered the pit area. Her hair was pulled back in a French braid like she always did if she took a shower right before bed. She'd obviously snuck out of the Racer house and had come to Go Team's practice track on her own. She hadn't even changed out of her pajamas. She had on a pair of black and white plaid pajama pants and a hoodie that she'd stolen from him years before. He'd always thought it looked better on her. That hadn't changed over the years.

"Have a lot on your mind?" he asked, walking towards her.

"You could say that," she said, fiddling with the end of her braid.

"Want to talk about it?" he said.

"With you?" she said as he took a seat on the wall next to her. "Not particularly."

"Who would you rather talk to?" he said.

"Rex," she replied with a heavy sigh. "But we both know _that's_ impossible."

"What would you say if he was here?" he asked.

"I'd ask him what I should do," Ana said, looking over at Racer X as she brought her knees up to her chest and rested her chin on them. "I stood over his grave and I promised him that I would stop racing. That I would never sit behind the wheel of a race car ever again. Because he couldn't anymore. And racing just wasn't the same without him. But now Speed is going to be in danger if I don't race. And Rex would do anything to keep Speed safe. Even if it meant breaking a promise."

"Sounds like you've made your decision," Racer X said.

"I knew what I was going to do the minute Prince Daveen said something," she said. "It doesn't mean I want to. I just could never put Speed in danger. He's like my kid brother. And I could never let Mom and Pops lose another son. Not when I could do something about it. They both mean too much to me."

"You know," he said after a pause. "He probably never would have wanted you to quit in the first place… I know. Stop talking like I know you. Or like I knew him."

"You're probably right," she said, looking out over the dark, quiet track. "He would have killed me for quitting. And I wasn't going to right away. I was going to keep racing. Make all of both of our dreams come true. Then I got behind the wheel of my car for the first time after his accident. I went to flip the ignition switch and I just couldn't do it. I had this massive panic attack and was actually hospitalized for a couple of days… What is it about you that makes me spill my guts every time we talk without even thinking about it?"

"Maybe I remind you of someone," he said, and then immediately started to mentally kick himself. She couldn't know who he really was. It could ruin everything.

"Maybe," she said.

"Your car is here, right?" Racer X said after a pause, standing up.

"Yeah," she said. "Garage three. It's been there for eight years."

"Do you have the key with you?" he said, helping her to her feet.

"Yeah," Ana said, reaching down under her sweatshirt and pulling a tattered pale lavender ribbon over her head. "I usually have it on me. It was just such a habit before… Well… You know…"

"Come on," he said, wrapping his hand around hers and pulling her towards the garage area.

"What are you doing?" she said, trying to tug away from his grip.

"Getting you back behind the wheel of a race car," he said, grinning at her.

"Right now?" she said. "Can't it wait till morning?"

"There's no time like the present," he said.

Ana gave him a dubious look as they stopped in front of the garage her car was parked in. It had been eight years since the last time she'd seen The Legacy. She toyed with the garage key in her hand for a moment before bending down and sticking it in the lock. Unconsciously she held her breath as she slowly raised the garage door and looked inside.

Everything looked exactly as it had eight years before when she'd locked the door for the last time. Plus dust. Plus a lot of dust. She choked as she stepped inside and reached for the light switch. At least the dust cover was on The Legacy and the car itself wouldn't be coated in the stuff. She watched as Racer X went over to it and yanked the black cover off. And there it was. Her car. She went over to it and let her fingers trail slowly over the hood. The car hadn't aged a day. It still looked exactly like it had the day she'd locked the door of the garage, for what she'd thought would be forever.

"You want to take her for a spin?" Racer X said.

"She probably doesn't even run anymore," Ana said.

"You really think Pops didn't take care of her over the years?"

"Look at this place," she said. "It's kind of obvious no one's been in here. Look at all of the dust."

"I said he took care of the car," he said. "Not the housekeeping. And you'll never know if you don't try."

"I can't do this," she said, shaking her head and backing away. "I just can't. Please don't make me."

He could hear the tears in her voice and immediately made his way over to her. She went willingly into his arms. Her head tucked perfectly under her chin just like it had all those years ago. He couldn't feel her tears through the material of his racing suit, but he knew she was crying from the quiet gasps and sniffles. He rubbed her back soothingly as she cried, her palms open against his chest. He could feel the heat of her touch through the leather, but tried more to focus on comforting her. Getting her to race again was going to be a lot harder than he'd originally anticipated.

A/N: I'm sorry that it took so long for me to post the next chapter. Ending this one was kind of hard for some reason. I don't think this is going to be a very long story. But it's definitely fun to write. I hope you all enjoy it and review. I, like most authors, enjoy reviews. They help me write faster.


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